Staff Reporter
Civic Society Organisations in Marange condemned smear campaigns by some online media outfits allegedly backed by state security agents.
The CSOs claim the online media were bent on dividing the advocacy organisations that are protesting looting of diamonds in Chiadzwa and failure by government to fulfill promises made to relocated Arda Transau families.
The development follows a recent story that circulated in Marange purporting that there was “growing tensions within the civic society organisations operating in Marange over allegations of mistrust as some organisations were accused of working with the diamond miners, the government owned Zimbabwe Consolidated Diamond Company (ZCDC) and Anjin Investments.”
The fake story which quoted anonymous sources took aim at the director of Centre for Research and Development (CRD), James Mupfumi and scandalously alleged that he is carrying out some work without informing other stakeholders of developments happening in Marange.
The story later attributed some information to the director of Young Entrepreneurs Trust Fungai Nhaitai but in an interview with Gem Nation News, he flatly denied ever granting an interview complaining about the work ethic of CRD.
“What is written in the fake article constitutes blatant lies. We are really working well as CSOs in Marange united in our pursuit to fight for development in our area. What I have just noticed is that there are just some people who want to divide us.”
“If I can just be clear, as young entrepreneurs we are working cordially well with people like Mr James Mupfumi and also Mr Farai Maguwu. We are doing one thing which is pushing for development of our area but some enemies are just trying to divide us,” he said.
The smear campaigns come at a time when CSOs in Marange are pushing to hold a demonstration against diamond looting and short-changing of families relocated to Arda Transau in order to pave way for mining of the gems on their ancestral lands.
CRD director Mupfumi, said o amount of assassination of his character and unbridled mud-slinging will slow him down or push back the resolve by CSOs to demonstrate against wrong-doing in Marange.
“The people of Marange will defend their right to peaceful demonstration in the courts from Monday next week.”
“ No amount of character assassination on myself and other CSO leaders as falsely carried out in an online voice article will distract unity in the movement in demanding socio economic justice in Marange.
“The article is yet another attempt by state security forces to divert world attention from government heavy handedness on the demand for accountability in Marange diamond mining,” he said.
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